1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an auto-execution signal processing method and an apparatus therefor, more particularly to the apparatus employs a human interface device standard, and an auto-execution process is initiated by an activation element mounted thereon.
2. Description of Related Art
The hotkey technology is in widespread use, and becomes a common tool. In the prior arts, a plurality of hotkeys may be designed on a mouse or a keyboard in order to provide a streamlined scheme to execute a specific program. Reference is made to FIG. 1 showing a multimedia keyboard 10. This multimedia keyboard 10 uses a Microsoft Windows operating system standard to design the several hotkeys which are mounted on the spare space of the keyboard. Therefore, a user may easily use the hotkeys to perform some functions.
The shown first hotkey 101 is exemplarily used to generate a signal to execute email software. The signal is transferred to the operating system, and the corresponding email software is executed. The second hotkey 102 corresponds to the function executing a browser, like the IE. In this example, a corresponding signal is generated to execute the browser after pressing the hotkey 102. More, the third hotkey 103 corresponds to the function for adjusting the volume. In which, a window is provided for functioning as adjusting volume as manipulating the third hotkey 103.
Although the conventional hotkeys having their corresponding functions are provided, a proprietary driver is requisite to be installed in the computer system if a special hotkey is configured for streamlining a complicated procedure in the computer system. In which, if a hotkey is directed to an online help, downloading software, or using a browser to go to a specific webpage, the proprietary driver is needed. For example, any hardware relating the hotkey employs a program carried in a CD to achieve a specific objective through a configuration. Thus, the specific function can not be used if the driver is lost.
The hotkey technology is not limited to the above keyboard, but also applied to some products for more convenient applications. For instance, the hotkeys are used for the peripherals connected to the computer system, or the household appliances with a micro-computer. However, those hotkeys applied to the peripherals or appliances are unchangeable. Some of them need a proprietary driver to transform their functions. Some of them need the extra efforts made by manual manipulation to achieve a particular purpose.